Phantom of Operius
by lunadaae
Summary: Erik is the mysterious Tech guy at Operius industries, Christine is the shy receptionist, what misadventures will follow? Read to find out! E/C. Modern AU. Set in East Coast America.
1. Chapter 1

Authors note: Hello readers! So, I love phantom of the opera, and wanted to do a modern version of it. I am taking a lot of inspiration from the Andrew Lloyd Webber version, but there are a few other versions that I am pulling from as well. Also, I don't speak French, so I'm not going to pretend that I speak French and make you look up what they would actually be saying in French. So, there's that. I love reviews, so feel free to give me any feedback, good or bad, questions, comments are always appreciated. The first chapter is a bit short, but the others should be a touch longer. Also, I made the executive decision to slightly alter everyone's names to give it more of a modern feel. Thanks!

Chapter 1

"Hello, thank you for calling Operius industries. How may I direct your call?" Christie transferred the caller and hung up the phone. She had been the

receptionist at Operius for almost exactly a year and she liked it, but it got pretty lonely working the front desk.

She had taken the job when her father had passed away from a long term illness. She had quit her first year of college when they found out he was sick and

she had to look after him. They tried to find a good nurse, but that hadn't exactly happened. Their insurance wouldn't cover it and if Christie had gotten a job

to pay for it then it would have taken all her money anyway. So she had decided to take care of him herself. She didn't mind though. She had loved her father

more than anything and she wouldn't have traded those last five years for a million college degrees.

She had recently celebrated her 25th birthday and it was the loneliest day of her life. Although she had received one anonymous card, it was delivered to her

work and wasn't signed. Working at the front desk meant that she didn't have any coworkers to make friends with. All of her friends from school had stopped

calling years ago. She supposed that it was mostly her fault though. Even she would have gotten tired of constant replies of 'I can't, I have to take of care of

my dad tonight.'

Things at work had been very tumultuous lately. The company had been recently sold to two men who had appointed themselves as CEO and CFO as soon as

the buyout was completed, although, no one could remember which one was which. The previous owner had mysteriously disappeared and sold the company

from a remote location, according to break-room gossip. The two new owners were named Mr. Farmer and Mr. Andrews. Christie had greeted them every day

since they had arrived three weeks ago, but they had been so busy that they hadn't noticed her even once. "I don't mind." She would tell herself every time.

Today was a windy fall day. There was apparently some kind of international consultant meeting happening this week because Christie had heard a different

language every time someone passed her desk. It was just after lunch and people were still trickling back in when she heard the shouting. She heard it before

she saw who it was. Mr. Farmer and Mr. Andrews were walking through the front doors guiding an older woman inside. The woman was shouting in French

and shaking her wrist in the air. Mr. Farmer was trying to lead her into the main foyer and Mr. Andrews was pleading with her to try and remain calm. Clearly

they didn't speak a word of French. Christie could, coincidentally. She immediately understood the problem and hurried over to the woman. "May I?" She

asked approaching Mr. Farmer hesitantly. He looked at her skeptically and raised his thick dark eyebrows at her. Christie spoke to the woman calmly and

reassuringly in perfect French. The woman calmed down exponentially and thanked Christie. She turned to Mr. Farmer. "She said that she left her bracelet in

the bathroom of the restaurant where you ate lunch. She said it was her grandmothers. I'll call the restaurant and have someone bring it over right away."

Mr. Farmer looked down at her in surprise. Mr. Andrews patted her on the back gratefully. "Her translator took a separate cab back here and we had no idea

what she was saying. Thank you miss…?" "Day. Christie Day." Christie smiled at the woman and went to her desk to call the restaurant after getting the

name of it from Mr. Andrews. After it was delivered, she personally took it up to the woman in Mr. Farmer's office.

The next day, when the owners walked into work and Christie greeted them, Mr. Andrews stopped at her desk. "A few positions just opened up on the night

call floor, it would be mostly sales. We have been looking for French/English speakers. Would you be at all interested? It comes with a pay raise plus

commission." He appraised her as he told her the offer. His eyes took in her wildly curly brown hair and mousy clothes, but he also saw potential.

Christie could hardly believe that learning to speak French would have paid off so well. She accepted wholeheartedly. "You will need to report to Ms. Gary next

Monday morning. We will hire your replacement immediately and have you train her a bit before you start there. By the way, where did you learn to speak

French so well?" He asked. She smiled and said, "I've been taking lessons from a private tutor."

There you have it! Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

-Six months ago-

Christie had found the flyer on the bulletin board in the staff break room one day in early spring.

-French lessons, no charge. Experienced French tutor looking for new pupils. Please text or call if interested.-

Christie had always wanted to learn French ever since her father told her that her mother had been raised in France. Christie held on tightly to any connection she could find to her mother since she had died when she was a baby. She had called the number that very evening. A man answered and when she inquired about the lessons he told her that he only did the lessons through skype and email. The skype sessions would be Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm for an hour each time. She quickly agreed, feeling a certain comfort knowing that she could do the lessons from the safety of her own apartment, without having a stranger come to her, or her going to someone else's place.

The first lesson was the next Thursday. Christie had been sitting on her bed with her computer on her lap when she called him on skype. The line rang and he answered but she was looking at a desk with an empty chair behind it. The room she saw was mostly dark, lit only by the screen, but she could make out some metal-looking shelves with boxes on them. It looked almost like a warehouse, or some kind of storage basement because there was no natural light.

"Hello?" She had called into the speaker.

There was a muffled noise and then the same man's voice said "Sorry, hold on, just one moment."

"Ok." She said, brushing her hair out of her face. Suddenly, the feed from his camera glitched. The screen became fuzzy with static and then blacked out altogether.

"Are you still there?" She asked in surprise.

"Can you see me?" She heard him ask clearly.

"No, your cam just flipped out, it's all black now."

"It's been doing that lately, I need to invest in a new web cam." He stated, not sounding surprised. "We can conduct the lessons anyway."

"Ok, sure. Thanks for taking me on. I've always thought that French was a beautiful language and I'm excited to learn from you!" Christie said.

"Well, i'm happy to have a student so willing to learn." He had a nice deep voice, Christie noted then. The way he spoke was clipped and simple, but with strange gentleness that almost reminded her of her father...

-Present day-

She carried her box of belongings down the hall to the elevator. She was only moving up to the third floor, but she felt like she was ascending into heaven. When the doors opened, she stepped out and headed to Ms. Gary's office. Christie knocked hesitantly. Ms. Gary opened the door. She was a stern looking woman with long hair. Her mouth was a perpetual frown, but her kind had a twinkle of kindness in them.

She took Christie past rows and rows of cubicles. "You'll be in row five, your row will be your sales team and you all have the same scheduled lunch hour. They can answer any questions about the job you may have." Ms. Gary pointed to an empty cubicle. "There's your seat, next to Meg." A blond girl lowered her headset and swiveled around in her chair at the sound of her name. "Yes?" She asked.

"This is Christie, she is new, she came up from reception." Ms. Gary told Meg.

Meg smiled at Christie and Christie thought that she seemed nice. Ms. Gary handed Christie a stack of papers and told her to memorize them. "This is the script and the information about the soundsystems that we offer. You'll be calling areas of Europe as well as other places around the world. Spend the morning on this and then after lunch you can listen in to some of Meg's calls." She walked away and Christie put her box down in her cubicle.

"I don't know why they call it a lunch break, It's at 10pm." Meg said, chuckling.

Christie smiled. "It's gonna take me awhile to get used to this schedule change. It feels weird to get to work at 6pm instead of coming home at that time."

"You'll get used to it. I will introduce you to everyone at lunchtime." Meg told her.

Christie spent the next few hours going over the provided material, finally it was lunch time. Christie was already starting to yawn when she followed Meg into the breakroom. There were three small tables and there was a sink and microwave to one side. Also a fridge and a couple of vending machines lining the walls. The members of team five were already sitting in their usual places at all of the tables.

"Everyone, this is Christie. You might recognize her from reception." Meg announced. She then pointed to each person and said their name. Their were five others besides her and Meg. At one table were two tall skinnny girls. They seemed to be in their early twenties. With them sat an older man, late thirties, Christie guessed. He had long unkempt hair and he had a beer belly and a red face.

At another table was a man and a woman. The woman looked about thirty and she was wearing a lot of make-up and a pile of reddish hair on her head. The man with her looked a few years older than her and had a thick dark, well trimmed beard. Like the first man, he had a bit of a gut, but didn't have the same unhealthy appearance. Meg and Christie sat at the empty table and began to chat over their meal. They got along very well and Christie liked her a lot. Meg seemed about a year younger than her and was very warm and inviting. After lunch she listened to Meg make sales and they joked together about some of the strange people she talked to.

After work, Christie put on her jacket and left through the front doors, she only lived about three blocks from the building but had never walked alone so late before. It was three am and she was bone-tired from the schedule change. She passed a convenience store. It was one of the only places open at this hour. She was almost home when she heard someone walking behind her. She glanced behind her and saw a man, walking slowly towards her about three or four yards back. She sped up her pace and turned the corner. Her apartment was so close, she ran up to the door. She pulled out her keys and slammed it into the lock. she struggled to turn it and she looked back, frantically. Half expecting to see the man right behind her. But when she did see him, he had crossed the street instead of turning at the corner to follow her. She let out a huge sigh of relief and went up to her apartment.

It was only a small studio, but it was hers. She had moved out of the apartment where she had lived with her father almost as soon as he had passed away. She simply couldn't bear living there without him. But she loved her new place, and she wasn't completly alone; she had a goldfish named Gussie. She turned on Netflix and opened a can of spaghetti Os. She changed into her pjs and sat down on her bed to catch up on some shows. Occasionally checking to make sure that she had locked the door behind her.

Review, review, review! Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 _AN: sorry the last chapter had some grammar and spelling errors. I was using my cousin's computer and it didn't have word on it so I had to use the notepad, any who! Back to the story!_

Christie's second day on the job was a bit better. She wasn't as nervous and was excited to put the information that she had learned to good use. She turned on her computer but when she reached for her headset, she couldn't find it. She asked Meg if she knew where to get a replacement.

"Ms. Gary usually keeps a few in her office." She answered. Christie went to Ms. Gary's office and asked for a new headset, but her supply had apparently run out.

"You will have to go get one, down in Tech. Take the elevator to the basement and go clear to the end of the hallway. Ask someone there for a new one and they will help you." Ms. Gary told her. Christie nodded and went down to the basement. The elevator doors opened with a ping that seemed to echo along the empty hallway. It was colder down here, and not as well lit, she noticed as she stepped out and walked towards the door at the end of the hall.

There were doors on either side of her and she could hear machinery whirring or the odd clanging sound emanating from within them. She finally reached the door at the end and knocked quietly as she pushed open the door. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the dimness and she entered a room filled with metal shelves and computer parts. It smelled like dust and metal. She saw a pale glow, dimly shining from deep within the room. She made her way towards it and as she neared, she saw a bank of computer screens. There were 3 on a large desk. A man was sitting at the desk with his back towards her.

He had thick dark hair and surprisingly well-muscled shoulders for someone who worked with computers all day. "Umm… excuse me?" Christie said to the man. He jerked upright and startled her. She jumped and knocked something off of the shelf next to her. She tried to catch it and failed. She bent to pick it up; it was some kind of computer part. "I'm so sorry! I hope it's not broken!" she said, looking back up at the man.

He was standing next to the computers, but he was now wearing a black baseball cap and huge pair of black sunglasses. She looked at him in confusion.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses?"

The man cleared his throat. "I have a sensitivity to light." He said shortly. "Let me see that." He held out his hand for the part she was holding. She gave it to him. "It's not broken." He said after a quick examination and put it back on the shelf. "What are you doing down here?" he asked. He seemed almost nervous.

"I was told to come down here, to get a new headset, I can't find mine." He looked at her. At least, his face was pointed at her, but she couldn't see his eyes through the dark glasses.

"This way." He said and strode off down the rows, not waiting for her. He was so tall that she had to hurry to keep up. He stopped and pulled a headset down off of a top shelf. It was still in its box. He handed it to her and their hands brushed. His felt smooth and firm. Her hands trembled as she took it. "Thank you." She whispered, suddenly feeling shy. He looked down and almost smiled. She turned to go, but she couldn't see the door from where she stood.

"Which way is out?" She asked him. He grabbed her shoulders and twisted her around. "That way." he said. His hands stayed on her shoulders for a few seconds too long and she had to start walking before he let go. She got to the end of the row and saw the door. She looked back, but the strange man was gone.

"Hey Meg. Have you ever met that weird guy down in Tech?" Christie asked her over lunch.

Meg looked up at her in interest. "You actually saw him?!"

Christie nodded. "He gave me the headset when I went down there."

"Wow, people rarely ever see him. He mostly communicates through email and only works on the computers when we are all gone or here at lunch. He always wears a hat and glasses… We call him 'the Phantom' as a joke, but we think he found out about it, because his work email is . "

Christie listened to all this incredulously. "That's weird." Was all she could say.

"You guys talking about the phantom?"

Christie and Meg turned around and looked at the other table. The man who had spoken was the large, red-faced man with long hair. Meg had said his name was Joe.

"Yeah." Said Meg.

"Did she tell you why he wears the hat and glasses?" he asked Christie suggestively.

"No, do you know why?" She asked Joe.

"Well, years and years ago, there was this big fire and they had to rebuild the entire building. It's said that down in the basement, the alarms got drowned out by all the machinery and none of the people down there heard them go off. Almost everyone made it out of the building in time… all except for the tech team. None of them got out alive, except for one guy, who was all burned from the fire. And they say it's the same guy." He suddenly slammed his hand on the table and everyone jumped. Joe leaned back and laughed.

The woman with the red hair sneered at Joe. "I don't believe a word of it. They wouldn't let a man like that work here. This is a high class company!"

Meg turned back to Christie. "Did he seem scarred, when you talked to him?" She seemed more concerned than anything.

Christie tried to remember the man's face, but it had been so dark down there. "I dont remember seeing any burns, but he was wearing the hat and glasses. He said he was wearing them because he had sensitivity to light."

"Yeah, FIRE light!" Joe said loudly, causing the two tall girls to titter behind their hands. Christie had learned that their names were Sylvia and Tatiana.

Meg stuck her tongue out at Joe and rolled her eyes and smiled at Christie. Ms. Gary poked her head in. "I hope that you're not telling tales again, Joe. How many times to I have to tell you to hold your tongue!"

The walk home after work was a little less scary than the night before. No one seemed to be following her this time, at least. When she got home, she poured herself a bowl of cereal and checked her phone, it had been off all day, but she wasn't really surprised to see that no one had texted. She opened her laptop and when she saw the skype icon on the desktop she realized that she had completely forgotten about her French lesson. She typed a quick message explaining that she had changed her hours at her job so she wouldn't be able to do the lessons at the same time anymore.

After she sent the message she opened up her browser, curiosity overtaking her, she typed in "Operius Fire". A list of results came up and she spent the next little while sifting through them. She was looking for an article that would help verify anything that Joe had said at lunch. She had to know the truth about the mysterious tech guy for some reason. She read a few of the articles, but none went into much detail. One of them listed the names of the people who had died; there were four. It also said that besides some mild cases of smoke inhalation, only one person was seriously injured; a man named Erik Bellom. Her eyes stayed glued to his name on the screen. Suddenly, her skype showed that her teacher had messaged her back. She numbly clicked open the message, seeing her teacher's name on the top of the screen… His name was Erik Bellom.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Christie read the message.

 _Christie,_

 _It's fine that you forgot our lesson. Im sure changing to a night shift isn't easy on you. Would you like to schedule the lessons at an earlier time? Maybe around 3 or 4pm? I look forward to hearing back from you._

 _E. B._

Erik Bellom… her mysterious French teacher… and the tech guy were all the same person? Why didn't he say anything when I saw him? She thought. "Poor guy, he must be so embarrassed… I have to talk to him tomorrow!" she said aloud.

She could barely sleep that night with all of the mixed emotions running around her head. She dreamt of fire and dark eyes that night. When she woke, she rushed to get ready and got to work a half hour early. When she got there she went straight to the basement. She opened the door at the end of the long hall and suddenly the darkened room seemed all too familiar to her, although she had only seen a few seconds of it, many months ago. She closed the door softly and walked over to Erik's desk. When it came into view, he wasn't there. She walked to the desk and looked at the screens. One of them was divided up and showed camera footage, obviously from the security cameras around the building. The other screens just showed the desktop.

She looked around the desk, but it wasn't very illuminating, just a water bottle, some computer parts, and a few other office supplies. Christie sat down in the chair and turned toward the screen with the live cam footage. She didn't have to wait long.

"What are you doing down here?" she heard a voice say from behind her. She whirled around and stood up.

"Sorry, I was just looking for you." He was wearing the hat and glasses again, but he seemed to be studying her.

"Need another headset?" He asked suddenly smirking at her.

Christie felt her face turn red. "No, I wanted to talk to you actually." She said, looking at the floor, unsure of how to bring up the fact that she knew who he was, or the sensitive subject of the fire and his burns. She took a nervous step closer to him.

"What is it then? Are you having trouble with your computer? I prefer to be contacted through email about that sort of thing. Or you could have your manager message me next time, I don't enjoy being caught off-guard." He said, obviously trying to convey that she wasn't allowed here. She mentally kicked herself for not being able to recognize his distinctive voice when he had spoken to her yesterday. "Well, what do you want?" he asked again, in that clear way of speaking that he had.

"Umm… well, I …you see, I… umm, I just wanted to say…uhh…" her mind was going a million miles a minute but she couldn't bring herself to say what she wanted to.

Erik took a step towards her. "you… You know…don't you?" he asked, he sounded almost worried. Christie glanced up at his face and saw her reflection in his dark glasses. She looked back at the floor and nodded slowly. He sighed heavily, sounding a bit frustrated he asked how she had found out.

"It was because this guy, Joe, was telling us about the …fire, at lunch and then when I looked it up online, I recognized your name in an article. Why didn't you just tell me?" she said it all quickly and had to stop for breath. "You could have told me." She said quietly.

He hadn't said anything and when she looked up at his face she couldn't tell what he was thinking. She took a step closer and was only about a foot away from him. She slowly raised both hands towards his face. He flinched and his hands rose up to cover hers. His grip was firm. "Don't." he said with a catch in his voice.

"Its ok." She said, reassuringly. His grip loosened slowly and his hands moved with hers up to his glasses. She slid them down off his face. The first thing she noticed were his eyes. They were the most wonderful shade of dark blue. They looked almost luminescent in the glow from the screens behind her. She forced herself to hold his gaze. He looked right back at her, fear and almost hope in his eyes.

But she couldn't help but notice the horrible burns covering the upper part of his face. She could see that the scars went up under where his hat covered, and for a split second she looked away from his eyes and looked at the burn marks. She felt a wave of compassion and sorrow and when she looked back into his eyes, his face flashed with anger. His hands tightened around her wrists, enough to hurt. She cried out softly and tried to pull away.

"This is why I didn't tell you!" he said furiously at her. "I didn't want to see the _pity_ in your eyes!" he spat the word pity at her like a dart.

"Erik, please!" she said, and pulled against his hands again. He let go at the sound of his name and froze. Regret was all over his ruined face, but she never saw it. She took off running and didn't stop til she got to the elevator, she didn't wait for it, but took the stairs instead. She ran all the way home.

She emailed Ms. Gary and told her that she wasn't feeling well. She couldn't bring herself to go back the next day either. Finally on Friday, she decided to force herself to go back. She hadn't touched her computer since she got home. She didn't know what she expected to see on it, or not see. She was so confused, and hurt, and ashamed, and a few other things that she couldn't have named, even if she wanted to. But she wasn't going to let this stop her. That morning was cold, so she put on a warm sweater that used to belong to her dad. She felt braver with it on.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Hello readers! so, I finished writing this story a few days ago so now I just have to type it up and post it, which will still be in increments because I don't have a computer, lol. so, yeah... Also, please review, I am open to all feedback!

 **Chapter 5**

Christie walked to work and sat down at her desk. Meg was super excited that Christie was back but could sense that something was wrong. Thankfully she didn't press the matter because Christie could not have told her. She continued her training almost numbly. She was wondering all the while if Erik would ever speak to her again, or if she could ever be brave enough to speak to him.

At lunch she sat eating her sandwich next to Meg. Joe was chatting loudly to Peter, the other man; something about cars. The two tall girls were posting pictures of their food to Instagram. The woman with the red hair, Carla, was fixing her makeup in a small hand-held mirror. Meg was trying to make small talk, but Christie was distracted. She kept looking up at the security camera, wondering if Erik was watching her, wondering what he was thinking, if he was still mad at her. After lunch Ms. Gary called Christie into her office. "I hope you are feeling better my dear. I think I will have you start calling on Monday. Make sure you have everything down by then."

"Yes, I will." Said Christie. Ms. Gary looked Christie up and down, and smiled with concern in her eyes.

"Don't be so gloomy." She said knowingly.

"I…yes, I'm sorry." Christie said, looking up in surprise. She hadn't thought that anyone could tell how she was feeling.

After her shift was over, she grabbed her purse and trailed after everyone else over to the elevator. After waiting for almost five minutes, it wasn't stopping at their floor. "It must be stuck." Meg said. "Let's just take the stairs." Chimed in peter as he took Carla's arm and led her to the door that led downstairs. They all went down the narrow staircase, all chatting and gossiping. Christie a few steps behind the rest of them.

As she passed the door to the second floor, it suddenly swung open. A hand reached out and pulled her into the second floor. Christie gasped in surprise and swung her purse at the person who grabbed her. It hit them with a soft thwap. She looked up in the darkness of the empty floor. She saw the cap in the dim light and immediately recognized it.

"Oh! I didn't know it was you! I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" she blurted in a panic.

He chuckled without humor. "I'm fine." He said.

Christie gripped her purse tightly. "Are you still mad at me? I'm really sorry about the other night." She said, looking between his dark outline and the floor.

"NO!" He said too loudly. "I mean, I'm the one who should be sorry. I never meant to… to drive you away. I was mortified as soon as you ran out. I never meant to lose my temper…one of my many flaws." He finished quietly. She couldn't help herself; she lunged forward and hugged him tightly around his waist. Her cheek pressed against his linen shirt. He stood there woodenly for a moment and then wrapped his arms around her. He took a deep shuddering breath and she thought that she felt him kiss the top of her head. They pulled back at the same time. Christie couldn't help but smile at him. He didn't really smile back, but it was dark and she couldn't tell.

"You probably want to get going…" he said, breaking the silence. "May I walk you home?" He asked nervously.

"Sure!" Christie replied eagerly. They left the building and began walking down the street. "It all seems so different at night… It's like another world." Christie mused, looking up at all the darkened buildings.

"Yes..." he said and trailed off, then continued. "I have a confession. I umm… I may have followed you home, your first day, after you switched to the night shift…"

Christie stopped walking. "That was you!?" She exclaimed in disbelief.

He turned towards her. "I just wanted to make sure that you got home safely." He explained.

She smacked his arm. "You really scared me!" she said in exasperation.

"I know, I didn't mean to…"

Christie started walking and finally couldn't help but giggle at the memory of how she was so scared that night. Erik smiled down at her, grateful that she wasn't angry. When they reached Christie's house, he walked her right up to the door. "Are you hungry?" She asked shyly. "We could go get some food or something?"

"I umm… I don't like to go to restaurants, or public places…" he said going back to his odd way of saying each word clipped and formal.

She flushed with realization. "Oh, I should have realized… I could make us something instead… I have a frozen pizza!" she said hopefully. He tilted his head at her.

"I wouldn't want to put you out, perhaps another time?" He looked mildly amused.

"Ok, sure." She agreed.

"Goodbye Christie." He said and began walking down the steps.

"Wait!" Christie said, stepping down to the step above him, she was still below his eye lever, he was so tall.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Will… Will we still be friends later? I mean, will you talk to me and stuff?" she asked lamely, feeling like a little kid. She was very close to him and it made her wrists tingle where he had gripped them so hard last time. She shuffled her feet nervously and waited for him to reply.

He smiled warmly and briefly touched her jawline. "Of course."

"But when will I see you?" She asked.

He considered and then said "How about you join me for lunch on Monday? Just bring your lunch down to the basement and we can eat together."

A smile lit up Christie's face. "Ok, I will bring a lunch for you too! I owe you for all my lessons anyways." She said excitedly.

"Alright." He nodded and turned to go.

"Bye!" she said happily.

"Goodbye." He said and began to walk down the street. Without turning around he called back "Oh, and I like your sweater."

She looked down and smiled, and she didn't stop smiling for the rest of the evening.

That weekend was the longest she had ever known. By Saturday night she had already done all her cleaning and errands that had been piling up. She pulled out her laptop and checked her messages. She saw that she had a message on skype. She opened it. It was from Erik and he had sent it the day that he had yelled at her.

 _Christie,_

 _Please forgive me for the way I acted towards you. I should never have spoken to you that way and I apologize. I meant to apologize in person, but you didn't come in today and I'm afraid that I've frightened you away. Please come back. I haven't shown my face to anyone in years and years, and I've become rather sensitive. Please don't leave me in darkness._

 _Erik._

She wanted to see him more than ever after reading his message. "Why can't today be Monday?!" she said forlornly to Gussie, who just swam around his bowl, opening and closing his mouth mutely.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

When Monday finally did come, Christie was busy packing their lunches. She made two PB+J sandwiches, cut carrot sticks, she put in two bottles of apple juice, two granola bars, two strawberry yogurts, some ham and cheese cubes, and two cookies that she spent all day Sunday trying to perfect. It wouldn't all fit in lunch bag, so she had to improvise and double bagged it in grocery sacks. She put the lunch in the breakroom fridge when she got to work and went to start her first day of sales.

Meg noticed her mood change almost immediately. "Feeling better?" She asked Christie as they put on their headsets. Christie gave her a thumbs up. She felt so happy; she even made a sale on her first dial. The rest of the morning flew by and Christie was doing great. When it was finally time for lunch she raced into the breakroom and grabbed the lunch. As she walked out, Meg asked where she was going.

Christie hesitated. "Umm… I have a friend who works nearby and he invited me to have lunch with him, sorry I can't eat with you guys though."

"Ooooh, a lunch date." Meg teased.

Christie blushed. "No… I...it's not like that… I have to go." She said quickly and walked over to the elevator. She rode it down to the basement and walked down the long hall and opened the door at the end. He was sitting at his desk waiting for her. She grinned when she saw him and he smiled back. He stood up and stepped towards her and took the bag out of her hands. He took her now-empty hand and started walking along the back wall.

"Come on." He said.

She followed him and he pulled her to a door that she hadn't noticed before. He let go of her hand and opened the door. The room beyond was small, with shelves along the walls. But Erik had turned it into a mini break room. There was a small round table with two chairs at it. There was an industrial-looking sink in one corner and a small mini-fridge next to it. The lights were off in the room, but it was lit by several candles placed on the shelves, with three in a cluster on the table.

Erik put the bag on the table and hugged her tightly. He pulled her up to her tiptoes and she wrapped her arms around him.

"I didn't get your message until this weekend, so that's why I never responded." She said into his shoulder.

"This was the longest weekend of my life." He muttered softly into her curls.

He let her go and stepped around her to pull out her chair. She sat down and started unpacking the lunch.

"I didn't what you like, so I brought a lot." She said when everything was laid out. He grabbed the sandwich and unwrapped it. She watched as he took a bite.

"Is it ok?" she asked.

He swallowed. "I haven't had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich since I was twenty two… about ten years ago, I guess…" he mused and took another bite. She smiled and opened her sandwich too. They ate mostly in silence. Not needing to say anything. When they got to the cookies, Erik took a bite, chewed once and stopped. He smiled. "Good." He said after swallowing. Christie tasted her cookie and almost gagged. Apparently she had forgotten to add the sugar because her cookies tasted terrible. She made a face and forced herself to swallow.

"Ugh, don't eat that!" she exclaimed, taking the cookie out of his hand. He started laughing and she looked mortified. She eventually couldn't help but laugh as well. She had never heard him laugh like this before and his laughter was contagious.

"I'm really sorry! I'm not a very good cook…" she said once they both could breathe again.

"I wasn't going to say anything." He said, still chuckling.

Christie put both the cookies and all the trash into the bag and got up and put it in the trash. She turned back to Erik with her head held down in shame. He stood up and went over to her.

"It's ok, don't feel badly." He said gently.

"I worked really hard on them is all. I wanted them to be perfect."

"I know." He said. "Sid down, tell me about your first day of sales."

She told him about her first sale and a crazy old man that she had called by mistake and everything else that happened. "I just hope I do a good job." She said afterwards.

"I know that you will. You could sell me anything." He said with a smile. Her break was almost over and they walked over to his desk together. "Thank you for lunch… even the cookie." He was fighting back a smile.

"Hey!" she said in mock offense and playfully nudged his shoulder. He chuckled and rubbed his arm as if she had hurt him. She rolled her eyes.

"I guess I should get upstairs. "She glanced at the clock on his desk.

"I wouldn't want them to send a search party down here."

"I'll see ya around I suppose… do you want my number?"

Erik smiled down at her. "Sure." She wrote it down for him.

"Text me sometime, ok?" He nodded and put the paper in his pocket as she walked to the door and left.

When she got back, Meg grilled her. "How was the date? Are you gonna go out again?"

"It was fun. And I don't think that it qualifies as a date." Christie said.

"Then why can't you stop smiling?" asked Meg with a smirk.

"I'm not smiling." Christie said as she brought her hands to her cheeks self-consciously. "We had better get back to work." She ducked her head into her cubicle.

Erik texted her before she got off work, asking her if he could walk her home again. She said yes and he walked her home every day that week. They hadn't started up her French lessons again, but they would speak French on their walks home some days. He claimed that it wasn't safe for her to walk home alone, which became evident that Friday. They were walking down the street; she was telling him about something funny that Carla had done that day when a man, obviously drunk, was leaving the convenience store. They were a yard or so away from him when he noticed them and called out.

"Hey…" he said to them, his speech slightly slurred. He pointed at Erik. "Why are you wearing a disguise, man?" Christie looked up at Erik; she supposed that he did look a little strange wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night. Erik's hands were clenched and he started walking very stiffly. As they passed the man, he reached behind Christie and slapped her butt. Christie gasped and flinched away from the man. Suddenly, Erik stepped around Christie, cocked his fist and punched the guy. He fell backwards and started swearing and clutching his face.

"You don't get to do that." Erik growled, looking down at the man menacingly. Christie pulled on Erik's arm.

"Please, let's just go." She said quietly, embarrassed. Erik looked over at her and saw how rattled she was. He nodded and led her away. Erik glanced back to make sure that the man wasn't following them. After they turned the corner he relaxed a bit.

"Are you ok?" He asked her. Christie's heart was still beating pretty hard and her head was swimming. She nodded but didn't say anything. They had reached her apartment, she took one step up the stairs and suddenly blackness swirled in around her and she passed out.

 _Please review!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Christie woke up in her own bed. She could hear someone muttering angrily over in her small kitchen area. She was under the covers and someone had taken off her coat and shoes. She sat up and looked across the small room. Erik was standing in her kitchen, looking in her cupboards. He turned around and saw her sitting up. He rushed over and pushed her down.

"I'm alright." She protested.

"How are you feeling? You should take it easy."

"Did I pass out? What happened?" she asked, confused.

"You fainted just outside, I hope you don't mind but I used your keys and let myself in."

"Did…did you carry me?" she asked, blushing bright red. He looked down at her.

"Yes." His mouth was in a kind of half-smirk as if he was amused. He looked around. "Your apartment is frightfully small." He commented.

"I like it." She said defiantly.

"Of course you do." He said and leaned down and kissed her forehead. She blushed again. The sun was beginning to come up and her apartment was filled with pale light.

"I guess I didn't eat much for lunch… maybe that's why I fainted…" she mused.

"If that stupid drunk hadn't frightened you then you probably would have been fine." Erik said angrily, his jaw clenching.

"It's alright now, you took care of me." Christie said, trying to calm him. She reached up to touch his face and he flinched away. She lowered her hand and looked away.

"I'm sorry, just a reflex." He took her hand and she felt dizzy again. He noticed and stood up. "Let's see about getting you something to eat. You don't have much, but I think I can whip up something." Christie's stomach rumbled just then and they both laughed. She sat up and propped herself against the headboard as he walked back to the kitchen.

"I think I still have that pizza." She called over to him. He looked over at her with what she thought was disdain.

"I think we can do better than that." He said dryly, clearly not a fan of pre-made food. He began collecting ingredients from her fridge and cupboards and setting them on the counter.

"What are you going to make?" she asked, craning her neck to see. He chuckled.

"You'll just have to wait and see."

She sighed and reached for her laptop. She pulled up Pandora and put on her Death cab for cutie station. She turned the volume so that it was background noise, and then set it on her bedside table. She looked around her apartment, trying to see it as he did. There was the kitchen area with a half wall between it and the main room. The wall had a wide counter so she had bought stools and used it as a table. Next to it was the bathroom and closet doors. In the center of the room was her bed, with a dresser on one side, which and Gussie's bowl on it, and her side table on the other. Her TV was against the far wall and she also had a tiny recliner next to the window. She had lived here for a year and she loved it.

She took a deep breath and the most wonderful smell filled her nose. "Mmm…" she said louder than she meant to. "That smells amazing! What is it?" she asked hungrily. He looked up from cooking and smiled.

"French toast."

"You're making me French toast?" she asked, touched.

"Yes, do you like French toast?" He asked. She nodded eagerly.

"Can I please come and sit over there?" She asked impatiently. He looked up again, and then came over to her bed. He pulled her blankets down and as she tried to swing her legs over the side of her bed to get up, he scooped her up into his arms, and took her to one of the stools and set her down gently.

"You're not walking anywhere until you've eaten something." He said firmly and went to the other side of the counter. Christie twisted on the stool, put her elbows on the counter and rested her chin on her hands. She watched him cook for a few minutes then asked.

"Where did you learn to cook?" He kept his back turned to her as he answered.

"My grandmother… I spent a lot of time with her when I was young. My mother wasn't really around much. She was an amazing cook. She was French and that's how I learned. We only spoke French in the kitchen."

"That must have been fun. My dad wasn't much of a cook and my mom died when I was a baby, so I never really picked it up. As you discovered from my terrible cookies." She laughed, remembering his face as he took a bite. He joined her laughing.

"It's the thought that counts."

He got out two plates, put the French toast on them and put hers in front of her. He had put fresh cut strawberries and whipped cream on top. "I couldn't find any syrup, so I improvised." He explained as he sat down next to her. She took a bite, and they tasted great. She began to wolf them down hungrily. "Slow down!" he said and grabbed her hand that was holding her fork.

"Sorry, they just taste so good" she said sheepishly. She took another bite, slower this time. "Mmm… you're amazing." She said with her mouth half full. He sat watching her eat; she couldn't tell what he was thinking with his eyes covered. He finally started eating as well. Thinking back, Christie realized that she had never really had a home cooked meal before. Tears came to her eyes and she quickly brushed them away before he saw.

When they were done she got up to do the dishes but he pushed her back down. "But you cooked!" she protested. He did them all by himself and then wiped down the counters for good measure. He walked over to her stool and she looked up at him, sleepy and full. She could feel her eyelids getting heavy and he could tell. He picked her up again and she took a deep breath of his smell, which now had a touch of creaminess from cooking.

He laid her gently into her bed, pulled the covers up over her and smoothed her hair away from her face. "Sleep now." He whispered. He stood up to leave, but she caught his hand.

"Wait." She said sleepily. "Don't go." He looked down at her, and then nodded slowly. Erik went to the windows and pulled the thick curtains closed, the only light now coming from her open laptop. He sat down on the side of her bed, reached over her, turned off the music and closed the laptop, plunging them into total darkness.

He slid off his shoes and Christie heard him slowly take off his hat and glasses and place them on the dresser next to Gussie's tank. He laid down next to her and put his arm out to slowly touch her shoulder. She rolled so her back was to him, and then pulled his arm across her so that his chest was to her back. She snuggled into him and closed her eyes. He breathed in the soft scent of her hair.

"You're so beautiful… and I'm so-"his voice caught in his throat. Christie looked back at him in the darkness.

"Don't." she whispered. Her hand found his cheek and he pressed it to his face. "I don't care that you got burned" she said softly. "You're my angel."

He pulled her hand away from his cheek and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly, sending a tingle throughout Christie's body.

"You must be tired, try and get some sleep." He said huskily. She turned away and rested her head on the pillow. He wrapped his arms around her and she didn't think that she would be able to, but she fell asleep within just a few minutes.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 _AN: yes, I realize that French toast is not actually French. But I wanted him to make something that an actual 25 year old girl has ingredients for. Thanks for all the reviews!_

When Christie woke the next morning, Erik was gone. He had left her a note on her dresser though.

 _Christie,_

 _I had to leave early; I didn't want to wake you. I'll see you on Monday. Take care of yourself._

 _Erik_

She was disappointed that he was gone, but she wasn't surprised. The rest of the weekend was uneventful; she usually spent her weekends alone anyways, so she wasn't too bothered by it. On Monday, when she came into the office, she saw Mr. Farmer and Mr. Andrews standing with another man near their row of cubicles. Once everyone had sat down, Ms. Gary came over and called them to attention.

"These gentlemen have an announcement for you." She told them stoically. Mr. Farmer

Stepped forward.

"Joining us today is a very important person; he will be working as a salesman for some time to get a feel of how our company runs. He is actually a corporate consultation expert though. He is sure to teach you all a thing or two, so pay attention, and don't bother him unnecessarily." He beckoned the man to step forward and say something.

"Hello everyone, my name is Ralph Chaney and I will be working with you for the next few months." He said with confidence. He was of medium height, but he was very handsome. He had thick golden hair and a jawline for days. Sylvia and Tatiana whispered to each other and flashed toothy grins at Ralph. Carla actually stood up and introduced herself to him, causing Peter's face to turn sour. Meg and Christie both smiled warmly at him and he shook Christie's hand along with everyone else's but he really stared at Meg. Christie had to admit that Meg was probably the prettiest girl on their team. She had big blue eyes and long blonde hair. Her curvy figure didn't hurt either. Christie's hand subconsciously went up to smooth her wild hair, which of course didn't do a thing.

Ralph sat at the desk opposite from Meg, next to Tatiana, who immediately began to flirt with him. Ms. Gary handed him a packet of paperwork.

"Memorize this." She told him and went to her office. It was clear that she planned on treating him like any other employee; corporate consultation expert or not.

At lunch, Ralph sat next to Meg, which meant that Sylvia and Tatiana moved to their table as well. They tried to engage him in conversation, but he only had eyes for Meg. And Meg, bless her, insisted on including Christie into their conversation. Christie wouldn't have minded being ignored, she liked eating in silence, but Meg wouldn't have it.

After lunch, Ms. Gary made Ralph listen to Joe's calls. As obnoxious and off-putting as Joe was in real life, on the phones, he was magic. He could smooth talk a lion out of its mane. He was calm and professional and was one of the top sellers. Carla, Meg, and Peter also had good numbers, but Tatiana and Sylvia were very sporadic and for every sale that they made, they missed about ten opportunities. Christie was starting to get better, but she was still getting used to it.

Things with Erik were going pretty well too. He continued to walk her home every night and he would sometimes come in and cook for her, but he never stayed over again. She kept him apprised of all the things going on at work, although she suspected that he knew more about it than he let on.

She and Meg had started hanging out on the weekends as well, going to movies, going out to eat, things like that. One day at work, a few weeks after Ralph had started; he invited them all to a party at his house. He had been telling anyone who would listen about his fancy new apartment, and he finally decided to show it off. The party was that Saturday night and Meg had begged Christie to let her give her a makeover. Christie didn't even own any makeup, growing up with only her dad; she didn't really have anyone to teach her about that type of thing.

The Friday before the party, while Erik was walking her home, she casually brought it up.

"A party?" he asked.

"Meg said that she wants to give me a makeover too." Christie added.

"Why? You're perfect." He said bluntly, making Christie blush.

"Well, I've never really done all that girly stuff and I thought that it might be fun to get all pretty." He chuckled.

"You're already pretty." He said.

"I mean, like with make-up and stuff." She tried to explain. He just shook his head and they kept walking. When they got to her door she reached for her keys, and then stopped. "Do you… umm… do you really think I'm pretty?" She asked with her eyes on her shoes. He lifted her chin with one finger.

"I think you're beautiful." She leaned forward slightly and as soon as she moved, he pulled back and stepped away from her. She sighed, disappointed. "Night." He whispered and cleared his throat and turned and started to leave.

"Goodnight." She whispered after him and went inside.


	9. Chapter 9

_AN: Sorry for the long wait, but this chapter is extra long to make up for it! Love those reviews!_

 **Chapter nine**

The day of the party had arrived. Christie and Meg met up that morning and went shopping. They bought new dresses, went shoe shopping. They both got their nails and hair done. Then they went back to Meg's apartment and Meg did both of their makeup, teaching Christie as she did. After Meg finished with her she went to the mirror and looked at her reflection. She could hardly recognize herself. Her normally frizzy hair was smooth and shiny, and her curls were tamed, but still curly. Meg had done her makeup very defined and dramatic. Christie didn't want to look too sexy, but now that she saw the finished product, she loved it.

Half of her wanted Erik to see her like this, and the other half felt almost ashamed at the thought of him seeing her. She felt a strange combination of confidence and insecurity. The party didn't start for over an hour, so she told Meg that she forgot something at home, and she would meet her at the party.

When Christie got home, she sent Erik a text.

-Wanna see me all dolled up?-

He responded almost immediately.

-You at home?-

-Just got back from Meg's if you want to come over before I have to leave?-

He didn't respond, but she knew he was coming. Around 5 or 10 minutes later she buzzed him up. When she heard him knock on the door, she felt a sudden flash of excitement and nervousness. She smoothed her hair and straightened her dress. She opened the door and when he saw her his mouth popped open. She would have given anything to see his eyes at that moment. She beckoned him inside and he walked in, just staring at her. Her long brown hair fell softly around her face and her deep crimson dress had three quarter sleeves with a flaring skirt that went to the top of her knees. It came down off her shoulders and it had lace around the top, showing off her collarbone and her pale skin. Meg had made her buy a strapless bra to wear with it.

"Well? What do you think…?" she asked nervously.

"Umm… wow… You look… different…" was all he said. She looked down, embarrassed.

"Bad different?" She whispered with a pained expression on her face.

"You look amazing." He finally said. He touched her hair and smiled.

"You really think I look ok?"

"You look so much better than ok, you look exquisite, stunning, magnificent!"

"I'm not sure about all that." She said trying to hide a smile. "I wish that you could come to the party with me." She blurted without thinking. His smile faltered.

"I can't. You know I can't."

"I know…" She said, looking down again. He could sense her disappointment.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked softly. She looked up in surprise.

"Here?"

"Yes, here." He pulled out his phone and put on something classical and dramatic. He set his phone on her counter and stepped forward and slowly reached around her waist, and then suddenly pulled her towards him. She gasped and he smiled and lifted her hand into his. Her free hand rested on his broad shoulder and he began to dance.

Christie had taken a dance class or two in high school so she kind of knew what she was doing, but boy could Erik really dance. He twirled her around the small space and she barely kept up. The next song was much slower and he held her more tightly and Christie felt tingles through every part of her that was touching him.

"Erik…I..." She said, at a loss for words.

"I know." He said quietly. Christie had never felt more connected with anyone, ever. She felt like crying from the sweetness of it. He held her so desperately, as if he was going to float away and she was his only tie to earth.

When the song ended, he let her go and turned to his phone and shut off the music. He cleared his throat loudly.

"You really look lovely." He said. Christie smiled at him and popped her head in the bathroom to check if her hair still looked ok. She still couldn't get over how different she looked. Suddenly Erik was right behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Christie pressed herself softly against his chest. "But you looked beautiful before all this." He whispered into her hair.

"I think you're beautiful too." She responded. He did his little half smirk smile at her in the mirror.

"So, what time is this party?" He finally said, pulling her into the other room.

"It starts in a few minutes; I should probably get a cab." He took a step back from her and looked her up and down, and then frowned. "What's wrong?" Christie asked her hand flying nervously to her hair.

"Nothing… It's just… I don't know if I want you going out looking like this."

"You said I looked fine!" Said Christie.

"That's the problem…" Erik muttered under his breath.

"But, I have to go! I told everyone that I would be there, and Meg will get worried if I don't show up. She spent the whole day getting me ready!" Christie protested. He considered her, his jaw working.

"Alright, I suppose that you may go… but please, be careful, I don't want you getting into any trouble." He seemed concerned from what she could tell.

"I'll be fine." She assured him. He nodded back slowly.

"I should get going; tell me how it went after it's over."

"Ok, I will." She promised and walked him to the door.

"Oh, I almost forgot, this is for you." He said, pulling a single rose with a black ribbon tied around it from behind his back.

"What? How did you do that?!" Christie exclaimed taking the rose from his outstretched hand.

"I got it for you." Was all he said. Christie brought the rose to her face and breathed in its sweet aroma.

"No one has ever given me flowers before." She said quietly. "Well… Flower." She joked. He smiled down at her. "Thank you." She whispered. He nodded again and suddenly stepped back, turned around, looked back at her once, then quickly strode away.

After he was gone, she put the rose in a glass of water and called a cab. When she got to Ralph's apartment, she saw that he had invited quite a few more people than just their sales team. His place was downtown, with huge windows and an amazing view. Ralph did a double take when he opened the door and saw her there.

"Christie? Is that you?" He asked incredulously. Christie blushed and nodded. He looked her up and down and then invited her in. Meg was already there and Christie went and sat by her.

"Too bad your mystery man couldn't come tonight." Meg said teasingly.

"I saw him before I left, actually. He gave me a rose." Christie admitted. Meg's eyes went wide.

"So that's why you just _had_ to go home. Why didn't he come here with you then?" Christie hesitated in her reply.

"Umm… well, he doesn't really like parties."

"He should have come anyways, at least so that we could all meet him." Meg said stubbornly. Christie knew that Meg was just trying to look out for her.

"I don't think he likes meeting people… he's very… private." Christie told her.

"Private or not, if he is interested in you, he should be interested in your friends."

"That's just it… he spends all this time with me, and he says all these things that make me think that he is interested… but I just can't tell with him."

"Well, if he spends time with you, then he is obviously interested. Men are simple creatures." Meg said with a knowing smile. Just then, they saw Peter and Carla come in. They both waved at the couple, who waved back. Tatiana and Sylvia were already there, along with Joe, but they were mixed in with the crowd, flirting and drinking. A few guys ended up coming over to talk to them and a few of them asked for their numbers. Christie was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the attention, but it didn't bother Meg, she seemed unfazed by all the guys but never gave out her number to them.

As the night wore on, people started dancing. After dancing with Erik, the type of dancing that they were doing didn't appeal to Christie at all. She got asked a few times, but said no. Meg actually did end up dancing with a few different people. While she was dancing with a short Hispanic guy, Joe materialized out of the crowd and sat next to Christie. He had obviously had a few too many drinks.

"You look amazing tonight." He told her, trying and failing to be smooth.

"Thanks." Christie said, scooting slightly away from him.

"I mean, who knew that all this-"he gestured up and down her body "-was under all… that. You seriously look so much better now. You should dress like this all the time." He told her loudly. Christie was mildly offended, but took it with a grain of salt. Every time Christie scooted away from him, he would close the gap. He reached around her and put his arm on her shoulders and squeezed her in close to him. Christie tried to push him away, but he had an easy 100 lbs. on her. He grabbed her face and leaned in to kiss her. He smelled like cologne, sweat and something bitter.

"Joe, stop!" she said, trying to pull out of his grip. Suddenly Meg was standing over them.

"What are you doing?! Get off of her!" she yelled at him. Joe finally let go and Christie stood up furiously.

"I'm gonna go." She said to Meg.

"Aw, come on, don't be like that!" Joe called after her as she walked to the door. Ralph caught up to her just as she had pulled it open.

"Leaving already?" He asked her. Christie nodded.

"I'm kind of tired, not used to staying up this long." Christie said, half lying.

"I really wish you would stay, I was going to ask you to dance." Christie blinked in surprise.

"Umm, I should probably get going." She said, throwing a nervous glance back at Joe.

"Ok, I will see you on Monday then?" He asked, obviously disappointed.

"Sure, see ya." Christie mumbled and pushed the door open. When she got into the hallway, Meg came running up behind her.

"Hey, you ok? Joe can be such a jerk." Meg said angrily.

"I'm fine… I just want to go home, I don't really go to parties and I'm exhausted from all the socializing." Christie said with a grim smile.

"Well, call me tomorrow, ok?" Meg asked looking worriedly at Christie.

"Sure thing." She said and called the elevator. When she got outside, she stood on the sidewalk and took several deep breaths of the crisp autumn air. She hailed a cab and rode it home with the window down, letting her hair blow in the breeze.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

After Christie got home she went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Her makeup was slightly smudged and her hair was starting to frizz. She got a washcloth and ran the water in the sink until it was hot. She scrubbed all the makeup off and then took a shower. After she changed into her coziest pajamas, she sat and brushed out her hair in the chair by the window. She thought about how Joe had tried to kiss her and cringed.

"Erik was right, I did get into trouble because of how I looked…" she muttered to herself. It was fairly late, but she knew he would be up for hours. She dug her phone out of her purse and turned it on. She had three messages from Erik.

-How is the party?

-Did you get home alright?

-Did something happen? Are you ok?

Christie felt bad for not texting sooner.

-The party was fine, I got home alright.-

She hit send, and then waited for a reply. She didn't have to wait long, he always texted her back quickly.

-Only fine?-

-I mean, it was fun and all, but it wasn't really my scene-

-I shouldn't have let you go there-

-Lol, it was fine! I really just wanted to get home and wash all that makeup off-

-Speaking of all that, how did people react to you?-

Christie hesitated in her reply, she couldn't tell him about Joe. Erik was already prone to freaking out.

-Umm, they were surprised, I guess. They said that they almost didn't recognize me-

-You did look a lot different. Did anyone try anything?-

Christie felt like he could read her like a book and that she just couldn't keep a secret from him, he was too astute, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth either, at least not about this.

-No, it was fine.-

Was all she could say. He didn't respond for a few minutes, which worried her even more. She walked over to her bed where she had tossed her red dress. She ran her hand over the smooth material. She picked it up and put it into her hamper. She put her shoes away in her closet. She took the stick of mascara that she had bought at Meg's request, because apparently you can share all makeup except for that. She took it over to the trash, sure that she would never use it again, but then thought better of it. She put it on a shelf in the bathroom, just in case. She turned the lights out, checked that the door was locked and got into bed. Her phone still hadn't buzzed and she didn't want to dig a deeper hole for herself, so she tried not to think about him and went to bed.

The next Monday at work, people were still talking about the party. When Christie walked in and saw Joe, she looked down and when she glanced up at him, she saw that he hadn't even acknowledged her. She sat down and Meg popped her head into her cubicle.

"You doing ok?" Christie nodded and tried to smile reassuringly. Meg looked over at Joe with contempt.

"What a pig." She murmured and turned away. Christie sighed, she could move past what happed with Joe, but she also felt like people were looking at her differently.

She went about her day as usual, making several sales. At lunch, the only thing out of the ordinary was the way Ralph was treating her. He was actually trying to talk to her for once; he seemed to be shifting his attention away from Meg. Not completely, but enough so that even Tatiana and Sylvia noticed.

That night, after work, Christie rode the elevator down to the basement instead of getting off at the first floor with everyone else. Erik was waiting for her when the doors opened, just as he always was. He stepped in to the elevator and looked down at Christie as she pressed the button for the first floor. She kept her eyes down and she could feel the tension build as they rode up in silence. When the doors opened and they stepped out, they walked down the hall and turned towards the main exit. Joe was standing by the doors, looking around, as if waiting for someone. Christie stopped, and then felt Erik grab her hand and yank her back around the corner. They knew that Joe had seen them and they could hear him walking over.

"Run." Erik whispered to Christie. They turned and raced back down the hall that they had just come down. Expecting to get back into the elevator, Christie began to slow as they neared it.

"No, this way." Erik said and pulled her to get her running again as he led her past the elevator and made a left turn down a darkened hallway. When they got to the end, they turned right and Christie could see, clear down at the end, a door that led outside. When they reached it, Erik threw it open and they ran through.

Christie looked around; they were at the back of the building, facing the empty parking lot. He pulled her along the side of the building, their shoes slapping the pavement was the only sound. They finally stopped in an alleyway, right near the exit to the street. They stood listening as their breathing slowed. They stood there for close to a minute.

"We must have lost him." Christie whispered. Erik hadn't let go of her hand and she didn't try to pull away.

"Why was he waiting for you?" He asked her, keeping his voice forcefully controlled. She could feel him glowering down at her.

"What makes you think he was waiting for me?" She asked, trying to dodge the question. He stared at her. She couldn't bring herself to look up at him. "…He must have just wanted to ask me something about work…" He seemed to relax, and then sighed.

"Why won't you tell me? What are you hiding?" He said gently, but with an undertone of something that made her shiver despite the cold. She didn't say anything or look up at him and shuffled her feet. He sighed again, obviously exasperated. He lifted her chin with his free hand angling her face up to his. "It's ok." He said tenderly. "I won't ask anymore." She smiled up at him gratefully and he chuckled. "Come on; let's get you out of the cold." He said and looked out onto the street, checking one last time. He let go of her hand and started walking. She caught up to him and they walked side by side. Their silence was no longer strained and when they got to Christie's house she gave him a hug. He always seemed surprised when she initiated any kind of physical contact. She let go of him and stepped up so that she was almost eye level with him. She leaned forward quickly and kissed him on the cheek. He stiffened as she pulled away.

"Thank you." She said.

"For what?"

"For always walking me home, and for making me feel safe."

"I want you to always feel safe." He whispered sincerely. After a moment he took a step back. "I should go, it's getting late." He turned and began walking down the steps. Christie watched him go. She wished that he wouldn't leave, but she couldn't make him stay if he didn't want to. She went inside and ate her T.V. dinner and tried in vain to decipher all his cryptic behavior.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The next day seemed pretty normal, at first. About 30 minutes before lunch, Joe was called into Ms. Gary's office. No one thought much of it until they heard him start shouting. Everyone froze and started to listen. They couldn't hear exactly what he was saying, but then he burst out of her office, went angrily to his desk and grabbed an armful of his things. He started stomping past them all and when he got to Christie's desk he stopped, with a look of pure anger on his face he shouted

"I hope you're happy!" Then continued on his way out. Christie looked after him in shock and confusion. Meg looked over at Christie.

"Did you tell them what he did at the party? I don't blame you if you did…" She asked.  
"No, I haven't said anything to _anyone_ …" Ms. Gary came out of her office and walked up to Christie. When everyone saw her come over, they got back to work pretty quickly.

"Come with me." Ms. Gary told Christie. She got up and looked back at Meg quickly and then went to her office. Mr. Andrews and Mr. Farmer were there. They told her to take a seat. Christie wiped her sweaty palms on her pants and took a deep breath.

"We became aware of Joe's behavior through an anonymous source and we want you to know that if anything like this happens in the future, you can come directly to either of us, or Ms. Gary." Said Mr. Farmer. Christie blinked in confusion. What happened at the party was awkward, but Joe hadn't actually done anything other than put his arm around her shoulder. They were looking at her, waiting for a response.

"Umm… well, the thing at the party wasn't that big of a deal… I mean, nothing happened, really." She said, feeling very embarrassed. Ms. Gary leaned towards her, looking concerned.

"You mean Ralph's party? What happened there?" She asked, and from her tone, Christie could tell that they weren't talking about what happened there.

"Wait… what are _you_ _guys_ talking about?" Christie asked, looking between the three of them. Mr. Farmer cleared his throat and picked up a piece of paper off of Ms. Gary's desk and handed it to her. It appeared to be a printed off email from Joe to… her. The general gist of it was Joe blatantly propositioning her for sex. She read it and her eyes went wide.

"Due to this, and other complaints we have had about Joe in the past, we had to let him go." Ms. Gary said consolingly. Christie felt like a weight was pressing down on her. She had never even gotten an email from Joe at all. Mr. Andrews put his hand on her shoulder.

"When we got the tip to search through Joe's emails and found this, we weren't really surprised." Christie nodded. She stood up, smiled at them all weakly and asked if she could go. They excused her and she left. She headed for the girls bathroom. The mirror showed her looked pale and disturbed.

"He wouldn't have… he couldn't have… He must have guessed about Joe somehow…" she said aloud to herself and tugged nervously on the ends of her hair. When she composed herself and went back to her desk, Meg asked her what happened. "I guess they didn't know about the party, it was… something else that got him fired." Meg's eyes went wide.

"Did he do something else to you?!" She asked Christie.

"No, well… I'm not really sure what it was." She couldn't tell Meg what she suspected had gotten Joe fired, or rather… who.

As soon as Christie's shift was over, she rode the elevator down to the basement. When the doors opened and Erik was standing there waiting for her, she smiled thinly at him. He stepped in and they rode up in silence. When they finally got out into the street, Erik looked down at her.

"Anything interesting happen at work today?" He asked innocently, the beginnings of a small grin playing across his lips.

"Oh… umm… well… Joe got fired." Christie responded with narrowed eyes.

"Really? That's too bad." He said, his smile now bordering on triumphant. Christie stopped; Erik took two steps and turned around to face her, his smile fading.

"I know it was you." Christie said accusingly. "I saw the email… I think it was you who faked it." He stepped closer to her, his mouth a grim line now.

"I found out what happened at the party, I read it in some emails between a few of your co-workers… and I just couldn't allow him to be near you anymore." His voice had become an urgent plea. He needed her to understand why he had done it. It frightened Christie that he would go to such lengths for her. "You should have told me what happened." He said softly. Christie blushed and looked down.

"I didn't want you to get angry." She said quietly. He reached down and pulled her face up, forcing her to look at him. Her breath caught and she thought he was finally going to kiss her. Her heart began to race and she couldn't feel the cold on her cheeks anymore. She was so close to him that she could see the dark dusting of stubble on his hard jawline. Suddenly, he stepped away from her.

"We should get you home." He mumbled quickly and turned to continue walking. Christie felt utterly rejected. She felt her throat catch and her eyes began to sting with tears. She quickly wiped them and followed him down the street, her head down. He didn't say another word and his silence was cruel to her. When they got in sight of her building she couldn't take it anymore, she took off running, finally letting the tears fall.

"Christie! Wait!" He called after her. She pulled out her keys and opened the door faster than she ever had before. She turned to slam it shut, but he was right there and he reached in and caught her arm. He forced the door open and pulled her to him, crushing her in a hug. She fought him and tried to push him away.

"Let go of me!" she said through her tears. He did as she asked and let go. He looked down at her.

"Christie, I'm sorry."

She turned and ran up to her apartment. She threw herself on her bed and hugged her pillow tightly, sobbing into it. 'He doesn't want you, he never did.' She thought miserably to herself. She heard a knock at the door, she wasn't going to let him in, but she had forgotten to lock it and he opened the door cautiously. He came over to her bed and sat down next to her. She was trying to stop crying but she only succeeded in making herself gasp and hiccup loudly. He placed his hand lightly on her back and then when she didn't pull away, he pulled her into his lap and cradled her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and bawled into his shoulder, too sad to be embarrassed. She tried to stop, but couldn't, she cried for almost a half hour and then eventually quieted down.

When she did, he laid them both down on her bed and cuddled her. Her face was still buried in his chest, he started rubbing her back and humming softly. Christie had never cried in front of anyone except her dad before and she felt slightly ashamed of herself, but he felt so comforting to her that she couldn't bring herself to let him go. And she knew that he didn't care if his shirt was soaked in her tears. She felt his chest rise and fall steadily and was lulled to sleep by its rhythm.

 _AN: this chapter was heartbreaking to write, but I think it's important to address Christie's feelings and Erik's as well. Although he is confusing sometimes, I wanted his actions to make sense with all his motivating factors. Anywho, please review!_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Christie woke before Erik and was surprised that he was still there. He had taken his hat and glasses off sometime during the night. Christie propped herself up on one elbow and looked at his whole face for the first time. The burned area was over most of his forehead and eyes. The fire had singed back his hairline on one side as well. The scars were red and looked bumpy and almost veiny. She thought he looked naked without his hat and glasses, but she thought that he looked alright, even with the burns.

His brow furrowed in his sleep and Christie smiled; she thought it was adorable. He slowly blinked his eyes open and saw Christie and smiled. 'his eyes crinkle when he smiles." Christie noticed. Suddenly his smile vanished and his eyes grew wide as he realized that Christie was looking at his face. He turned and pushed her away.

"Wait, please." Christie pleaded, trying to pull him back. He glanced over his shoulder at her warily. She tugged his shoulder and he turned towards her reluctantly. His blue eyes filled with sorrow and self-loathing. She held her hand up slowly to the side of his head, brushing lightly against his scars. He winced but didn't pull away. "Morning." She said shyly. Erik's face filled with relief, he tucked her hair behind her ear. Christie was surprised how easily she could read him now that she could see his entire face.

"How did you sleep?" He asked cautiously. Christie remembered her crying fit and blushed. She took her hand off of his face and tugged on a strand of her hair.

"Ok, I guess… you?"

"I haven't slept that well in a long time… and it doesn't hurt to wake up to you." He said and grinned at her. Christie hid her face in his chest and he laughed. She couldn't help but giggle at the sound of his laughter, it just made her happy. She peeked up at him to see his smile. She realized then that she didn't care how he looked, because he was wonderful and he made her happy. "You hungry?" He asked her. She nodded and looked up at him eagerly. She couldn't get enough of his cooking.

He chuckled at her expression and ruffled her hair. He gently pushed her off of him and stretched, then stood up. He was wearing black pants and a white button-up shirt. The type of thing he usually wore. He walked over to the kitchen, tapping a hello on Gussie's tank as he went by it. Christie watched his movements and then Christie suddenly realized that she had terrible morning breath. She hurried into the bathroom to clean up and change into some fresh clothes. When she came out, he was making an omelet. She went and stood by him, poking her head around his arm to smell the food. She looked up at him and smiled and he smiled tentatively back at her, not a hundred percent comfortable being looked at yet. She turned away and put out plates for them.

After they had finished eating, Erik took his turn in the bathroom. Christie washed the dishes and fed Gussie. She was making fish faces at him when Erik came out of the bathroom. He laughed at her and she glared at him, pretending to be mad. She turned to the window and opened the curtains, the low evening sun illuminated the room, he came up behind her and lightly tickled her side. She jumped away from him laughing. He grinned and grabbed her around the waist, making her squeal. She tried to wiggle free, but he was much stronger than her.

"Give up?" He asked.

"Never." She said back defiantly. He chuckled and sat down in the chair by the window, pulling her down on his lap. She put her legs over the armrest and laid her head on his shoulder. They sat together quietly until he broke the silence.

"You must think I'm hideous." He stated without feeling, as if he was saying 'the sky is blue'. Christie looked up at him in alarm.

"No, I don't." she said determinedly, and then quietly added "I like seeing your face."

"Why?" He asked in surprise.

"Because it is yours." She whispered. "Did it… did it hurt very badly?" She asked nervously. She felt him shift beneath her and his hold on her tightened slightly.

"I can barely remember it; it must have been about ten years ago… I was younger than you are now when it happened… I remember people shouting and a lot of smoke… but I mostly remember waking up in the hospital, I thought I had gone blind because there were bandages covering my entire face. The day they came off was the last day I ever saw my mother… she couldn't even look at me without grimacing. I promised myself that no one would get the chance to look at me that way ever again. Until you, that is." Christie blinked back tears, she understood so much more about Erik now. All his odd behaviors made more sense to her. "After you saw my face the first time," he continued, "I thought you would never come back after I got angry… but you did." He looked at her and saw that she was about to cry again. "Don't cry, it kills me." He whispered. Christie wiped her eyes on her sleeve and smiled. "Better." He said warmly.

Across the room, from inside her purse, her phone rang. She got up to get it; it was almost dead when she pulled it out of her purse. The ringing was her alarm telling her to get ready for work. She groaned and he stood up quickly.

"What's the matter?" He asked, looking anxious.

"Just my alarm for work." She told him. He looked at the clock on the wall.

"I should get home and change." He said and he went to her dresser and put his hat and sunglasses back on with a sigh. Christie hated to see him do it.

"I guess I will just see you later then." She said as he walked to the door. They said goodbye and she finished getting ready for work.

The entire day at work, she couldn't stop picturing Erik's face. She wished it didn't cause him so much pain; she hated seeing him upset by it. At lunch, Meg invited her to go out to dinner at an all-night diner with their sales team. Christie liked hanging out with everyone all together; it made her feel like she was a part of a big family for once. She texted Erik and let him know that she would be going out to dinner right after work, so he didn't need to take her home today. He responded with a simple 'Ok.'

When work was over, they all went out front to catch a cab, Meg got in one with Sylvia and Tatiana and then told Ralph and Christie to try and catch another one. Carla and Peter weren't coming, and Christie looked nervously at Ralph and gave him an awkward smile. Ralph called a cab and they stood together on the sidewalk, waiting for it to arrive. They were talking about work when Ralph suddenly put his arm around her; Christie stiffened and looked over at him.

"You look cold." He said, unapologetically. The car pulled up just then and she quickly untangled herself from him and jumped into the car. They got to the diner quickly and joined everyone. Meg looked at Christie and winked. Christie blushed and looked nervously at Ralph, who was smiling at her. They all ordered and were talking and laughing together. Tatiana and Sylvia were taking pictures of their food and Ralph was telling Meg a story. Christie ate her pancakes happily, she liked to listen to everyone joke and laugh together. She was trying to picture how Erik would act if he were here too. She wanted him to be able to do normal things like this without feeling ashamed of his face. If only he saw himself the way she saw him.


	13. Chapter 13

_AN: Sorry it's been forever since my last update! Life has been crazy! Anyways, here y'all go. Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 13**

After they finished dinner, they all went their separate ways but Meg texted Christie after she got home.

-How was the ride with Ralph?-

-It was ok, but you know that I have been kind of seeing someone.-

-But you said he hasn't tried to make it official, and I know for sure that Ralph really likes you! You should give him a chance.-

-Meg… I really like this guy, I'm not really interested in anyone else.-

\- All the more reason to break things off if he doesn't feel the same-

-Idk… we just have this connection that I don't really feel with Ralph.-

-Just give him a chance, you are technically single, so what's the harm in one date?-

-I'll think about it, but I don't think I can just tell my heart to move on.-

She connected her phone to her charger. 'Maybe Meg is right about Erik… But Ralph just seems so superficial…' she thought. For the rest of the night, she couldn't get Erik out of her mind, the way he took such good care of her, and how he was so tender when they were alone. She just couldn't understand why he wouldn't kiss her, or ask her on a real date. The last time someone had hit on her, Erik had gotten him fired, and even though she wasn't crazy about Ralph, she didn't want that to happen to him.

The next day, when she got off of work, Erik wasn't waiting for her like he usually was. She looked for him at his desk, but he wasn't there. She sent him a text asking him where he was, and if everything was ok, but he didn't respond. She waited for over 15 minutes and then started to worry. She waited another 20 minutes back out by the elevator and then walked home alone.

The darkened streets seemed darker and more threatening without Erik walking beside her. When she finally got home, she messaged him on Skype and emailed him, with no response from either. She finally called him and left a voicemail.

"Erik? It's me… umm… it's Christie, I mean. Is everything ok? Please tell me you're alright. Just call me or text me. I'm a little freaked out, but… umm… just call me back. Bye." She ended the call and stared at her phone. "Maybe he is sick or sleeping or something… I just hope you're ok. You better be ok." She said aloud.

The next day was the same, and that entire weekend, she didn't hear a word from him. She was sure that he had died or that something terrible had happened to him. On Monday, she went down to the basement during her break and he wasn't there. After work, she invited Meg over because she didn't want to be alone. They walked to Christie's apartment and they drank hot cocoa. Christie finally told Meg everything. About how Erik was the guy that she was seeing (kind of) and how he was also the tech guy and about his burns. She even told her about how he had gotten Joe fired. She also told her how he would walk her home and cook for her. Meg took it all surprisingly well.

"So, what made you tell me all of a sudden?" Meg asked when Christie was finished.

"Because he disappeared and I don't know how to find him and I'm going crazy keeping it all to myself. I haven't seen him since last week and we used to see each other almost every day. I don't know what to do. He doesn't answer my texts or calls, or emails. I go down to where he works every day, but he isn't there!" Christie's eyes filled with tears. Meg leaned over and hugged her.

"Don't worry. I'm not sure what happened to him but we will find out. We can ask Ms. Gary tomorrow, maybe she will know something." Christie nodded, wiping her eyes. It was such a relief to talk to someone about all this. Christie and Meg spent a few more hours talking before Meg had to leave.

The next day at work, they went into Ms. Gary's office together.

"What can I help you girls with?" She asked, giving them her full attention from the start.

"We were wondering if you could check on an employee." Meg asked.

"What do you mean, 'check on them'?"

"It's Erik Bellom, you know the tech guy who works in the basement. Christie is friends with him and hasn't heard from him in a while, so we just wanted to make sure that he is ok." Ms. Gary looked from Meg to Christie solemnly. Something in her expression made Christie think that she knew all about Erik. Ms. Gary began typing something into her computer. She clicked through a few different screens then looked up at the girls.

"Well, he seems to be fine. He has been clocking in and out each day at his normal times and he hasn't had an unscheduled absence in some time." She looked at Christie and smiled, but her eyes looked sad. "Maybe he just needs some space." Christie looked down and nodded, she and Meg left the office.

"Why would he just be ignoring you? I don't get it." Meg said.

"I guess he just doesn't want to talk to me… I mean, it's not like he owes me anything… "Christie responded sadly. At lunch she went to the basement again. She went to his desk and saw that there was a half empty water bottle there that hadn't been before. She reached down and felt the chair, it was still warm. She whirled around and squinted at the dark shelves. "Erik? Listen, I know you're there… What did I do? Just tell me what I did wrong." Her voice broke and tears filled her eyes. "Why won't you talk to me…?" She whispered and sank to the floor, silent sobs wracking her body. She heard footsteps and when she looked up, Erik was standing at the edge of the shelves, just within the light cast by the computer screens. "Erik?" She asked, quickly standing up. He smoothed his hat down almost nervously.

"Listen, I think you should go." He said distantly. His voice returning to the odd clipped manner that it had been when they first met. He was keeping his distance at roughly two or three yards. Christie longed to close the distance but when she stepped forward he stepped back.

"Erik, are you ok? Where were you?" She asked him desperately.

"I'm fine, but you should go." Was all he said.

"But… what's wrong?" She stammered, utterly confused.

"I don't want you coming down here anymore." He said ruthlessly. Christie choked back a surprised sob.

"Erik…I…"

"Would you just leave? You shouldn't be here! You should never have come down here." He interrupted angrily, the room echoing his words to her. Christie suddenly felt a surge of anger; she wiped her tears and steeled herself.

"Not until you tell me why." She said with clenched teeth. Her hands balled up into fists. He sighed exasperatedly.

"You are getting too attached to me. It would never work between us and we are just kidding ourselves with whatever this is." He gestured between them. All of Christie's doubts and fears came rushing back. This explained why he never tried anything… he just wasn't attracted to her that way, she thought. Christie turned slowly and stiffly walked to the door. She walked down the long hall and got into the elevator.

"It's better that I know how he really feels." She told herself. She went to the bathroom to compose herself and then finished her day at work. She told Meg that she had seen him and he told her that he didn't want to be friends anymore. Meg tried to console her but Christie didn't need much consoling, she seemed fiercely optimistic. She told herself that she was done crying over him. If he didn't want her, then she would prove to herself that she didn't need him.


	14. Chapter 14

_AN: This is the next to last Chapter! The next one will be fairly long as well. I'm also thinking about doing a sequel story, but idk… depends on the feedback I get for the ending. Ideas are appreciated and so are reviews!_

 **Chapter 14**

The rest of the week was a blur. On The following Monday, Ralph pulled Christie aside at lunch.

"Christie, would you like to go out sometime?" He asked her without preamble. Christie didn't know what to say, but she heard Meg's voice in her head, telling her to give him a chance.

"Sure, when?" She responded, forcing a smile.

"How about today, after work?" He asked.

"That sounds ok." She was uncertain if she was doing the right thing, but it couldn't hurt to go out once.

After work, Ralph caught up with her.

"Ready to go?" He asked. She nodded. Ralph got a cab and it was waiting for them when they walked out. They got in and the driver headed east, towards the water. They finally pulled up at a fancy looking pier.

"Where are you taking me?" Christie asked, intrigued.

"I thought we could have breakfast and watch the sunrise out on the water." He said, laying on the charm. Christie blinked.

"Wow, I had no idea that you had a boat."

"Technically it's the family yacht." He said as he led her down the pier towards an expensive looking white sailboat. There were two guys there, getting the boat ready in the darkness. Ralph and Christie put on lifejackets and the two men sailed the boat into the open ocean. Ralph led Christie below decks, where a breakfast was laid out for them.

"This is very elaborate…" Christie said in surprise. Ralph just smiled.

"Shall we?" He said and sat down. They ate and talked a bit, the food was good, but not as good as Erik's cooking Christie thought sadly. They talked mostly about work and Ralph told her about himself. After a while, they went back up into the chilly morning air. Christie enjoyed the motion of the boat and was glad that it hadn't made her seasick. The sky above them turned a light purple and then began to get brighter. The water was calm, but the sky was beginning to get cloudy and there was a steady breeze. Ralph put his arm around Christie.

"I'm really glad you said yes." He smiled down at her. 'He really is rather handsome.' Christie thought as she returned his smile. After a few minutes Ralph turned to the two sailors. "Let's head back. This weather isn't looking too good." As they headed back for shore, Christie took deep breaths of the crisp, salty air. She didn't get out much, but she loved the sea and the open air feeling of being on the water.

"Thanks for taking me out there." She told him as he dropped her off at her apartment.

"It was pretty amazing… mostly because you were there." He said confidently. She laughed nervously and he stepped closer to her and leaned down to kiss her. She turned her head and stepped back. He tried to close the distance between them, but she put her hands up to his chest and pushed away softly.

"Listen, I had a good time, but I don't want to move too fast…" Christie whispered, feeling awkward.

"Alright, sure… so, when can I see you again?" He asked.

"Text me and we will set something up." She said and gave him her number. He left in a cab and she went upstairs. She had a few missed calls from Meg, who had seen them leave together. She called her back and told her everything that happened. Meg was more excited than Christie was about it and she asked a million questions. Christie answered them and they talked for a while before Christie began to yawn, she told Meg that she would see her tomorrow and hung up.

The next day when she ate lunch with Meg and Ralph, she would glance nervously at the camera in the corner of the room every time Ralph would talk to her. She felt like she was breaking a rule.

'He probably wasn't even watching.' She thought later at her desk.

They all had received an email about the annual company costume party for Halloween in a few weeks and everyone was talking about it. On her way home, she thought about costume options, she had never been very big on dressing up, last year she hadn't even gone to the party. She wanted to go this year though. When she got home, Ralph texted her and asked her out for Thursday. He wanted to have her over for dinner and a movie.

When she went, he was very gentlemanly. They watched the newest Star Wars movie. He did put his arm around her again though. He asked her out again for that Saturday and they went to a concert and got pizza after. He held her hand as they walked to the pizza place and all Christie could think was how she wished it was Erik holding her hand.

The next week, she went shopping with Meg for a costume. Meg ended up buying a "Sexy" angel costume and Christie decided to be a princess, she splurged on an old-fashioned pink ball gown, elbow length white gloves and a sparkly tiara.

As much as she got along with Ralph, she just couldn't stop thinking about Erik. When Ralph asked her to the company party, she pulled him aside near the front doors.

"Listen Ralph, the last few weeks have been really fun, but I have to be honest with you." She took a deep breath. "I don't think I'm ready for a relationship right now… I'm kind of getting over someone, and it's not fair to you if I can't be with you a hundred percent… I hope we can be friends still, and I really think you deserve someone awesome." He was silent until she finished.

"I don't want things to be over between us… I can wait as long as you need." He said, his voice taking on an air of desperation.

"I don't think my feelings for you are going to change over any amount of time." Christie said awkwardly.

"You don't know that! Just give me a chance! Let me show you…" He said and boldly grabbed her shoulders. Christie felt flustered and pushed him away, she turned towards the doors.

"I have to get home." She said and went outside. He called after her but didn't follow.

The next day at work, Ralph didn't try to talk to her, but he wouldn't stop staring at her. At lunch she sat with Meg and Ralph sat with Sylvia and Tatiana, flirting shamelessly with both of them, in some misguided attempt to make her jealous. She just rolled her eyes to Meg and ignored him. After work, Meg came over and gave her some hair and makeup tips for the party the next day. Christie had actually bought some makeup and had worn it on a few of her dates with Ralph. Meg had been disappointed when she told her that she had called things off with Ralph.

"At least you gave it a try." She said as she painted Christie's toenails pink. Christie sighed dramatically, causing them both to laugh. "Still thinking about Erik?" Meg asked.

"I've been trying to force myself not to… but I miss him… I can't help it. I feel him, in my heart… Is that weird?" She asked Meg, who smiled.

"NO, once you have that feeling with someone it doesn't just go away overnight. I'm glad that you at least gave moving on a try… But if you really can't get over Erik, you should tell him… It might change his mind; he ended things so abruptly… he must miss you too."

"I don't know if I can tell him how I feel after everything he said… I just couldn't bear it if he rejected me again, at least like this I know where we stand." Christie sighed again and looked sadly at her toes. "At least my feet look good." She said, making them both laugh again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The Operius Halloween party was a huge event. They threw big parties like this every year to show off their newest sound systems. They held the parties on the first floor in a huge empty room with a raised platform to one side that they used for company-wide presentations or meetings. They always hired an up-and-coming DJ and invited a ton of corporate bigshots. The party was scheduled to start at seven that night and all employees were encouraged to come. They were also strongly encouraged to dress up elaborately.

Christie was running a bit late, but she arrived at seven thirty. She was wearing her princess costume and she had her hair half pulled back and half down her back. She had tried to do her make-up delicate looking with pinks and soft golds. She heard the music as soon as she got to the front doors, she showed her invite to the guy at the door and he let her in. She walked down the hall towards the party. The dance floor was packed with people all in bright, colorful costumes. Christie stood near the doors and looked around for the people she knew. Ms. Gary was dressed in a shiny silk kimono. Mr. Andrews was a rooster and his date was a hen. Mr. Farmer was dressed as a Ram and his date was matching as a sheep. Peter was a genie and Carla was a peacock. Tatiana and Sylvia were dressed as belly dancers and had amassed a crowd of young men around them.

Christie chuckled to herself and got a cup of punch and started looking for Meg. She saw her almost immediately dancing with a cute pirate. She smiled to herself, feeling a happy rush from all the energy in the room. She looked up towards the DJ, who was dressed all in gold; she thought he might be some type of award. Halfway through the song, a guy dressed up as a zombie asked her to dance. She accepted and he was a pretty good dancer. After the song ended, Meg found her.

"Guess who's here!" She said and nodded her head toward a back corner as she adjusted her angel wings.

Ralph was leaning against the wall with a sour look upon his face. He was dressed as a kind of old-fashioned soldier. Christie felt sorry for him but she wasn't about to go over there. She and Meg got asked to dance the next few songs, and then they went to the bathroom to check their makeup. When they got back they danced with a few more characters; the pirate couldn't get enough of Meg and wouldn't leave her side, not that Meg was complaining. A little while later, Meg turned to Christie.

"That guy keeps looking over here, do you recognize him?" Christie looked to where Meg was pointing and saw a tall-ish guy wearing a full-face skull mask and a fancy red cloak. He was looking over at them but suddenly turned and disappeared into the crowd. Christie blinked.

"I'm not sure…" She didn't think that Erik would ever go to a party like this, but she couldn't think of anyone else it could be. "I need some air; I'll be back in a minute." She said to Meg, who nodded and turned back to the pirate; who had introduced herself to Christie as Alison.

Christie walked out of the warm, packed room into the hallway. There were a few people here and there, but most people not dancing had gone to the lobby to sit on the couches there. Christie walked the opposite way, past the elevators and turned down the hall that she and Erik had run down, what seemed like a lifetime ago. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt a flood of emotion as she remembered how safe she had felt when they were together. She opened the first door she came to; it was an empty conference room. There was a long, polished, wooden table running down the center of the room. She pulled out one of the chairs and sat down, laying her head on her hands, trying to clear her mind of the sharp pain of Erik's absence in her life.

She had been there only a few moments when the door opened behind her. She gasped in surprise and stood up, turning around. Ralph was standing in the doorway, framed in light, but his face in shadow. He stepped towards her and she leaned away against the edge of the table.

"So… you don't want a relationship, but you will dance with every other guy here tonight?! He said menacingly. Christie gulped.

"Ralph…" She began falteringly before he cut her off.

" _Everyone_ is laughing at me because of you! _Everyone_ is saying that I couldn't even land the plainest girl in the office! I'll prove them wrong…" He muttered and advanced towards Christie.

"What are you doing?" She asked, horrified at his change in demeanor. When he reached her, he shoved her back onto the table. She pushed at his hands, but he grabbed her wrists and held them tightly. "Let go of me!" She said angrily, struggling against him. Suddenly, he was off of her. She quickly sat up.

Ralph was being pinned against the wall by his neck. He was starting to gag and clawing at the hands that held him up. Christie saw the dark hair and red cloak and recognized Erik. She jumped off the table and ran up to them. "Put him down!" She said, pulling on Erik's arm. His grip didn't loosen and Ralph was turning purple. "Erik, please…" Christie said frantically; more afraid that Erik would kill him than out of concern for Ralph. Erik glanced down at Christie through his mask, turned back to Ralph and dropped him. Ralph crumpled to the floor and Erik turned away, running his hand through his hair anxiously. Ralph stood up, clutching his throat; he cast a terrified glance at Erik and ran out. Christie turned to Erik and he was glaring at her from under his mask.

"I should never have given up to the likes of him!" He growled. Even though his voice was strained and angry, Christie delighted in the sound of it. "Imagine me thinking someone merely handsome would be able to take care of you better than I would!" He was livid and Christie was so happy to see him that she didn't even care that he was shouting at her. "What are you smiling at?! Do you know what he almost did to you?! I should go find him." He said and stepped towards the door. Christie stepped in front of him and put her hands on his chest.

"Don't leave." She whispered. He stopped and glanced down at her gloved hands. He lifted his own hand and softly touched her cheek. "I missed you." She said softly, looking at his chest.

"Then why did you pick that….him, over me?" He asked, suddenly vulnerable. Christie looked up in surprise.

"What?"

"I know my face is monstrous, but… him?!" He asked, incredulous.

"I only went out with him because you told me that you didn't want to ever talk to me again!" she responded.

"I saw you leave with him… before that, you don't have to pretend it didn't happen." He said, suddenly morose. He stepped away from her and walked out. She chased him down the hall, her gown flowing behind her. He saw her following him and he ducked back into the party. She finally caught him in the middle of the dance floor, which was considerably emptier as people had begun to leave.

"I only shared a cab with him; we were meeting everyone else for dinner. It wasn't a date!" She had to shout to be heard above the music. He turned back towards her, still suspicious. "The reason I broke up with him is because I'm still in love with you!" She shouted just as the song ended, causing everyone around them to turn and stare. Her face turned red and she looked around embarrassed. She saw Meg and Alison looking over curiously. Erik glanced around nervously. He was uncomfortable being the object of everyone's attention so suddenly even if he was wearing a mask.

"You… you what?" He finally asked, looking down at her. Christie's blush darkened and she reached around her back to tug on the end of her hair.

"Umm… I love you…" she said more quietly and glanced up at him to see his reaction. Everyone was staring at them now, even the DJ, who hadn't put on another song, to better hear them. Erik shook his head in disbelief.

"You don't love me. Someone like you couldn't possibly love someone like me." He gestured to his mask. Christie stepped up to him and smiled. She quickly reached up and pulled his mask off in one swift motion, exposing his face. The people close enough to have a good view gasped and stepped back. Erik looked mortified. Christie placed her hands gently on his shoulders and pulled him down a few inches. She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him, really kissed him, right there, in front of everyone. He froze in shock at first, but melted at her softness. He wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up easily. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, clinging to him. They pulled away at the same time and she buried her face in his shoulder. He spun her around laughing happily, and then set her down. Then something surprising happened, someone started clapping. The sound grew until the entire crowd was smiling and clapping. Christie looked around and blushed again. Erik never looked away from her, his eyes a little wet, and the most genuine smile that she had ever seen from him, on his face. Christie smiled tentatively back up at him. He took her hand and they ran together out into the hall, everyone clapping and cheering around them.

When they had put a little distance between them and the party, Erik stopped and bent down to kiss her, and boy did he kiss her. When they pulled apart, he smiled and touched her hair softly.

"I love you too. I always have… and you look anything but plain right now." He added. Christie looked into his adoring blue, blue eyes and pulled him the rest of the way down the hall towards the door that led outside.

"Come on… I'll let you walk me home."

 _AN: AAHHHH! It's over! It's been a long road, but I finally got it all posted! Haha, I'm thinking of doing a sequel. Like a first person, but from Erik's POV. Idk…idk…But let me know what you think!_


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